MD is going to be relegated to walk on minutes next year...with the guards we have coming in with sanford/sibert on the wings...he'll get no minutes.

On the contrary, with Scoochie Smith, Davis, and Price, our ballhandling will be better, our penetration will be executed better, and Derenbecker will get more open looks in his 12 to 15 minutes a game.

On the contrary, with Scoochie Smith, Davis, and Price, our ballhandling will be better, our penetration will be executed better, and Derenbecker will get more open looks in his 12 to 15 minutes a game.

KD was not always looking for the open man, trying to do too much himself in my opinion. I believe we will be better off without him. Too selfish for my liking. Dribbles too much and tries to go through walls has the ball stolen or he just turns it over. For all the good he does and he does a lot he also has cost us mightily. Like our chances with our guards for next year.

If we don't get the invite for next year and 2014 instead I think the extra year in the A-10 will help Archie shoring up his troops. And with the knowledge of being in 2014 should help with recruiting.

Indeed, it was almost a classic inside vs. outside battle. As I commented at halftime, if we were able to contain the perimeter in the second half better, we win. Unfortunately, we weren't really able to do that.

I also agree with some other posters about Matt D...would've liked to see him in for a few trey attempts when we got down by 7-9 points in the last few minutes of the game, at least.

Coach Stevens admitted in the post-game interview that Butler was overplaying our perimeter on defense due to respect for our A10 leading 3pt shooting. Sanford and Benson made them pay in the paint. Conversely, If we would have done the same to Butler, their bigs would have schooled us. Too much experience and skill for our bigs.

So a lot of what happened today, ie. UD's success in the paint, and Butlers open looks from 3pt had to do with the strategy each coach felt was necessary to win.

Coach Stevens admitted in the post-game interview that Butler was overplaying our perimeter on defense due to respect for our A10 leading 3pt shooting. Sanford and Benson made them pay in the paint. Conversely, If we would have done the same to Butler, their bigs would have schooled us. Too much experience and skill for our bigs.

So a lot of what happened today, ie. UD's success in the paint, and Butlers open looks from 3pt had to do with the strategy each coach felt was necessary to win.

Good point. The ol' darned if you do, darned if you don't. I think it really just boils down to we lost to a better team today.
We gave it our all, and the game strategy wasn't bad, but Butler is just a better team right now.

Now, in the next year or two, I think we might give them a better run for their money...

Ill be shocked if the ball handling and general poise of our guards next season will be better than Dillard was this season. Dillard was no perfect player, but he was a fifth-year senior with the ability to do things on offense when needed that most freshmen PGs couldnt dream of doing. Nevermind he shot 90% at the foul line.

Most frosh guards -- especially point guards -- get a rude awakening in their first season of college ball. Price scored about 55 points this year. He made exactly two baskets inside the arc all season. Khari was not a kid only getting offers from Moody Bible College either.

I would expect a step backward next season at the PG position on offense and in the general ball-handling department. Our turnovers will probably increase as well. Where there may be some light is on defense. That was KD's weak spot and we need an upgrade defensively on the perimeter.

We'd need a Rookie of the Year type performance from Smith or Davis to tread water in the backcourt in my opinion. The one unknown is how much Sibert will contribute. I would expect him to have a season not unlike Vee's. But, they are not really ball handlers. They are scoring/slashers.

One reason is we need 5 guys rebounding on the defensive end. That means guards cheat to the paint area. Can't be in two places when your defense is suspect to start with. We were cheating on defense all season trying to cover deficiencies.

As for Dillard? Wish he had another year at UD. I will miss his guts, his leadership, and most of all his clutch freethrow shooting. But with all that, why did we lose so many 1 & 2 point games? Will not miss his turnovers, and his tunnel vision in the last 5 minutes of ballgames. He finally got a little something going with Benson in the paint today, but where has that been all year when we needed it?

The team A/TO ratio is less than one this season, with Khari Price the best. No way the team A/TO is less than one next season. One reason is Price will be even better, and also Sanford won't have to handle the ball as much. The 9 turnovers by Dayton today (5 by KD) against a good Butler defense is a good omen for next year.